Skills conference offers technical job opportunities

LINN - The Missouri SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference began Thursday at the State Technical College of Missouri.

The conference collaborates with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to host 2,100 high school students and teachers to participate in more than 120 leadership, skill and written contests.

According to Manpower Group's most recent Talent Shortage Survey, skilled trade workers tops the list as the hardest job to fill. That's been the trend since 2010.

Nicole Nilges, the student activity director at STC said the conference promotes jobs because all of the competitors are in the technical field and the judges are business owners and people in the community that could potentially hire the competitors in the future.

Winners from the 2015 Missouri SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference will represent Missouri at the 51st annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, KY which will take place June 22-26, 2015.